Draw-bar-centering device.



J. F. OCONNOR.

DRAW BAR CENTERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1914.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

WITNESSES UNIT D STATES PATENT er sion.

JOHN F. o'comron. or CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM H. MINER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINoI's.

DRAW-B AR-CENTERING DEVICE.

Application filetTMarch 4. 1914. Serial No. 822.404.

To all whom it may com-cm Iie it known that I. Joux I. ()Cosxon, a citizen of the Inited States. residing at Chicago. in the county of (ook and State of Illinois. have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Draw-Bar-Centering Devices. of which the following is a full. clear. concise. and exact description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings. forming a part-of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in draw-bar centering devices for railway cars.

()ne object of my invention is to provide a cheap and etlicient draw-bar centering device.

further object is to provide a draw-bar centering device in which the spring or compressioii-resisting member may be placed on one side of the carry-iron. andthus permit the same to be removed from the side of the carry-iron along which train-pipes and other similar train connections are disposed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification. Figure 1 is an elevation plan view of a dra w-bar ca rry-iron and surrounding parts. showing the draw-bar in crosssection. and the draw-bar centering device partly in longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the draw-bar centering device and adjacent parts: Fig. 3 is a section on line -3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings. the numeral t represents a draw-bar carry-iron of the'usual ty and the adjacent parts 5 of a railroad car, to which the draw-bar carry-iron is secured by suitable means. preferably the bolts (3-43. The draw-bar carry-irmi 4 is a loop having a horizontal portion 7 upon which the draw-bar S is adapted to rest in the usual manner. I provideia plate 23, preterably extending rearwardly from the vertical portions of the ca rry-iron 9 and having suitable perforations 10 for the passage of the movable bar 11-11 of theqdraw-bar centering device 12. The bar 11 is provided at its central portion with a saddle 12 of dimensions suitable to permit the draw-bar to rest upon the horizontal portion 7 of the drawbar carry-iron without disposing of any. p0rtion of its weight upon the saddle 19. of the. bar 11. The dependent arms 1313 forming av portion of the saddle 12 are spaced apart to permit the passage. of the draw-bar 8 between the .ame, and in preferable construc- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

tion to permit the looseengagement of the draw-bar thereon. as lllustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The bar 11 is provided at one end with a preferably smaller portion 11 extended beyond the vertical arm 9 of the drawbar -arry-iron. the said bar being provided near the point of its passage through the plates 23 with a shoulder 15 engaging a. spring cap 16 in normal position of the parts. against which is seated a spring 17. the other end of said spring being seated against the outer spring cap 18. which is borne against by the nut'19 threaded upon the outer end of the extension 14 of the bar 11. The said extension 14 of the bar 11, the spring caps and spring are mounted within a spring case 20. tlm said spring case beingsuitably secured. 1 ferably by the rivets 21' 1, to the adjacent vertical arm 9 of the draw-bar -:u '1'y-iron. Upon movement of the draw-bar toward thespring case. the bar 11 is actuated in the same direction through the engagement of the draw-bar 8 against the adjacent member 13 of the saddle 12.-

the shoulder 15 on said barengaging the spring cap 16. the outward movement of the.

same the spring 17 against the spring cap 18. which spring cap 18 is held against outward movement by the outer end 24 of the spring case 20. Upon the release of the draw-bar, the same is returned to its normal position through its sliding movement upon the draw-bar carr '-ir(m, and actuated thereon by the expansion of the spring 17, I

which returns the inner spring cap 16 to its normal position at the inner end of the spring case 20. Upon movement'of the draw-bar in a direction away from the spring'case, the draw-bar engages against the vertical member 13 of the saddle 12 farthest removed from the spring case. forcing the bar 11 in the same direction. which movement of the bar draws the outer spring cap 1-8 inwardly, pressing the spring 17 against the inner spring cap 16, which is stopped against inward movement by the shoulder 22-22 at the inner end of the spring case. Upon the release of the draw-bar, the same is returned to its normal position through a sliding movement upon the draw-bar carryiron, the said movement being actuated by the expansion of the spring 17, which forces the outer spring cap 18 back to its normal position against the outer end of the spring case 20.

extending ends of the bar being arranged substantially in the same horizontal plane with the horizontal center line of the drawbar and having portions on each side thereof, and swing means for resisting movement of saidbar in either direction.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

-Witnesses VVILLIAM H. HAIGH'I, CARRIE (l. Raxz. 

